


Exit, Pursued by a Bear

by moodyme



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Arcades, F/M, Fluff, Implied Rovinsky, Joseph Kavinsky is His Own Warning, M/M, NSFW, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prompt Fill, discussion of star wars
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:42:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22842670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moodyme/pseuds/moodyme
Summary: Prompt fills from tumblr, each with a Shakespeare inspired title.
Relationships: Joseph Kavinsky/Ronan Lynch, Noah Czerny/Ronan Lynch, Richard Gansey III/Adam Parrish, Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 35
Kudos: 92





	1. With Natures Own Hand (Or, five tender touches between Adam and Ronan) (pynch)

**Author's Note:**

> For connaweir, who asked for Pynch and tender touches.

It started when Ronan had his head in the refrigerator, debating whether or not it was worth it to eat the questionable Lunchable. Adam’s hand was suddenly on his hip as he squeezed behind him to get to the bathroom. The touch, though fleeting and soft, sent a faint shudder up his side.

Ronan, confused by the reaction, grabbed the Lunchable and hastily retreated to the safety of his room. Through the door, he could hear Gansey and Parrish talking, for once not about Ley Lines and dead kings but quizzing each other on math. As they droned on and on about trigonometry, Ronan ate and thought back to that first sighting of Parrish, to his brief prayer. He thought of that hand on his hip, as well, how gentle it had been.

He offered up that same, simple prayer once more, but with even more fervor.

* * *

Adam had been awake for at least five minutes. His eyes remained closed. He was afraid if he opened them, and Ronan knew he was awake, he would stop running his thumb over his brow. It was a useless and irrational fear, he knew. After all, if Adam told Ronan how the smoothing motion was helping to relieve his headache, Ronan would just silently keep repeating the motion.

Still, he continued pretending to be asleep, choosing to lie there, in the quiet of their room, with Ronan's gentle motions doing more to ease his headache than the nap did.

* * *

Ronan liked Adam's hands. He was a proficient secret keeper, but his love for Adam's hands had never been able to be hidden. He didn't think they deserved to be hidden, or made into a secret. They were too wonderful for that. No, Ronan made his admiration of Adam's hands clear. 

He liked holding Adam's hand as they walked - around the Barns after graduation, at Harvard before he had been banned, at the grocery store, while running through an airport to get to the right gate. But more than he liked Adam's hand, and holding them, he liked the knowledge that Adam liked holding his hand just as much.

* * *

"Fuck," Ronan grunted, his face red, and breathing heavy. Adam stood in the doorway and looked from his boyfriend, to the the scattered pieces of what was, in theory, supposed to eventually become an Ikea coffee table. Both were in a startlingly similar state when he had left, six hours earlier.

Adam picked his way across the floor, careful not to step on any errant furniture pieces, to crouch beside Ronan. He started massaging his boyfriends neck, trying to work out the kinks that had formed they while he worked on the table.

"Baby," He said as gently as he could, "Just make the call."

"Those fuckers at the help center are always so smug," Ronan groaned. He sighed, relaxed into the massage for a moment, and said, "Fine. Give me the number."

* * *

Ronan learned about all kinds of kisses while dating Adam. The harsh kisses that were more tooth than lip. Relieved kisses that were given when coming home, or after too long of a day. Tired kisses before they fell asleep, or just after waking up. Heated kisses that led to pressing together against each other. Sloppy, happy, kisses that were given in silly moments.

But his favorite kiss, he knows, will always be that first tender kiss they shared after getting married.


	2. Full of Sound and Fury (gen w/hinted blusey, pynch, czenry)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four moments at the arcade with the Gangsey, set during TRB.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the anon who prompted the Gangsey at the arcade.  
> Hope you enjoy 😃  
> (Slight Bluesey, slight pynch)

Blue was about to destroy Gansey. The poor boy had foolishly agreed to play the motorcycle racing game with her. It was the game she was best at, and knew she could beat Gansey, who at his own admittance had never even gone to an arcade.

She straddled the mock motorcycle and waited for Gansey, suppressing a snort at the look spreading over his face, one of curiosity tinged with horror at all the loud noises and flashing lights. He looked like a tourist in a strange land, lost and wondering if he should have come, if them dragging him here had been an act of treason or rebellion.

Gansey approached his own motorcycle, frowned, and swung his leg over it. He leaned forward, gripping the handles.

Blue felt herself flush. There was something about the action of him straddling the machine, of his broad, strong, shoulders tightening in anticipation of the race, that made her feel wild in a confusing way. Gansey, even in his yellow polo and boat shoes, had managed, for a moment, to look _cool._

"Ready?" She asked after swallowing thickly.

Gansey nodded and smiled, "Please go easy on me?"

"Not. A. Chance."

* * *

Ronan pointed at the hunting game in the corner and smirked, "Hey Parrish, I think I finally found a game for you."

The other boy squinted at the game. Or maybe Parrish's face was just pinched because of his comment, he couldn't tell.

"Fine," Adam eventually sighed, and marched off to the console. He picked up the rifle controller and smoothly began navigating the controls.

"It's a harder game than it looks," Noah said, startling Ronan. He thought Noah had been across the room, watching Gansey and the maggot race. Noah looked apologetic for, but nodded towards Adam to redirect his attention. 

The expression on Adam's face was one familiar to Ronan - fierce concentration, determination, facing the whole fucking world and not backing down - but it was also one he had never seen applied to something as pointless as an arcade game. Ronan turned toward the screen, curious as to why Adam was wearing the face, and watched as deer slowly appeared, each one getting furiously picked off by Adam's fake shots until the speed with which they appeared increased. Soon, it was almost too fast for Ronan to track.

It took longer than Ronan expected for the game to end.

"Shit!" Adam exclaimed, frustrated as his score flashed on the screen. He had, apparently, just ranked fifth in the high scores.

"Fifth is pretty fucking impressive you dumbass," Ronan laughed. Adam was notoriously competitive, but still. It was a game, fifth was great, nothing to be frustrated over.

Adam scoffed and began entering his initials, APAR, into the system. When all the ranks were shown for the game, Ronan understood his frustration.

Of the top ten ranks, APAR held places two through ten, while the number one spot was some asshole named SK8R.

"You've stills got a ways to go," Noah sighed, placing a hand on Adam's shoulder.

"For eight years SK8R has kept the top score, but I'll beat him eventually."

"Oh, Adam, I'm pretty confident in my old score being unbreakable," Noah laughed.

"What?" Ronan barked, but Noah had already slipped away.

* * *

Blue carried her prizes back to where Gansey and Ronan were in the middle of a tense Dance Dance Revolution contest. With a glance to the current score, Blue was dismayed to discover that Gansey was actually winning. She watched the two for a while as they stomped on the dance pad beneath their feet.

Adam, who had been playing Street Fighter nearby, slowly approached her and pointed at her collection of toys, "You know about the secret machine?"

The secret machine had a stronger claw than any other at the arcade, and players were almost guaranteed a win. As far as Blue knew, the secret claw machine was only known about by the arcades employees. Blue herself only knew about it because Orla had worked here off and on through high school, and she wondered if the arcade was one of Adam's jobs.

She sniffed, said, "Of course. Some poor loser next to me spent a fortune on the one next to me, and he didn't even win anything."

"Poor bastard."

"He's poor now, that's for sure."

* * *

Henry Cheng was not having fun.

He should have been, he _would_ have been, but the evil crane machine had taken $32 and still not given him the elusive knock-off Pikachu plushie it held in its glass prison.

"Curse you, you filthy animal," He muttered under his breath, ignoring the sideways judgmental glance the girl beside him kept giving him as she walked away. She had successfully one three teddy bears while he had striven in vein for this one prize, and he refused to acknowledge her in fear she would be smug about her loot.

"Need some help there?"

Henry had heard the expression "Jumped out of his skin" and had always laughed at it. Now, after experiencing it himself, he questioned why he had ever found it funny. The words had been spoken by a fair haired boy behind him, wearing an Aglionby uniform. There was something... smudgy, about his appearance. Henry shook his head, clearing it.

"No, thank you, I've come this far, I might as well go all the way," Henry answered.

"Sure. Besides, I have a feeling you'll get it this time."

Henry smiled. "I wish I was as confident as you."

After inserting another dollar worth of quarters, he ignored the cute smudgy boy behind him, and focused on the claw. It lowered, sunk into the plushie, and pulled up. He held his breath as the claw, plushie in its loose grip, moved towards the opening. He had come this close a dozen times before, each time the claw had released its prize before making it to the final destination. Finally, after a small eternity, the plushie fell into the hole.

Henry knew his eyes were misty as he knelt to take the toy, but he refused to think about it. Instead, he turned to thank the boy for being his good luck charm, but he had already wondered off.


	3. Hot Blood, Hot Thoughts, and Hot Deeds (Roah)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah and Ronan Marvin Gaye and get it on.  
> Warnings: NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the sweet anon on tumblr that asked for Noah and NSFW. I made this fic Roah (because it's a rare pair ship I enjoy writing), and I hope you like it 😎
> 
> This is my first time writing smut, so if it's bad... sorry 😟

Ronan always looks beautiful like this, Noah thinks with a shudder as his boyfriend pulls his too tight shirt over his head. The muscles of his stomach tighten for a moment at the motion, and it takes strength Noah didn't know he had to not groan. He suppresses it, but doesn't quite manage to hide his impatience as his body instinctively jerks towards Ronan.

"Already?" Ronan asks with a smile, for once not arrogant or smug, but light with joy.

"I was ready ages ago," Noah answers, letting a laugh escape for a brief moment. It turns into a groan when Ronan's knees hit the bed and he crawls over Noah.

"That long?" Ronan's eyebrows retreat up to his hairline. 

_Yes_ , Noah thinks, as Ronan's lips finally crash into his.

It's almost playful, at first, to match their joking earlier, but that quickly - embarrassingly quickly, given that they are both adults and not horny teenagers - turns maddeningly into more.

Noah whimpers as Ronan breaks their kiss, sad at the parting, but he doesn't protest when he feels the other man making a path down his stomach. He stares at the ceiling for a breathless moment as he feels Ronan's mouth around him before he closes them, overwhelmed at the sensation.

The world slips away, then, and Noah is weightless, floating in ecstasy. Nothing else matters but this.

He comes with Ronan's name whispered on his lips, and Ronan pulls away, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand, that same light and joyous smile there.

Repeating the same motions as earlier, Ronan crawls over him and brushes his hair out of his face.

"Rest," Ronan says, and slides the sheet over them. 

Noah hadn't noticed how tired he was, until that moment, exhausted by the days work and Ronan's attentions.

He murmers his acquiescence as he snuggles into the warmth of his boyfriend, silently promising himself return Ronan's gift as soon as he wakes.


	4. As They Kiss, Consume (Rovinsky)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the anon on tumblr that requested TDT era Ronan and Kavinsky. I kinda sorta made it implied/slight Rovinsky and also I am so sorry about how late this is, I've been traveling and having all kinds of a hectic time. Things have calmed down a bit now though. I hope you enjoy this! Even though it doesn't really have a plot or anything of substance at all!

Kavinsky tossed the can of cheap beer he had just finished chugging, and Ronan watched as it arched across the headlights of the Evo.

"I keep fucking telling you that you'll never be able to _really_ dream unless you have someone to properly fucking teach you," Kavinsky said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You wanna be my Obi-Wan or something?" Ronan sneered, eyeing the discarded beer can. He would have to pick it up before they left, if only because he had a feeling Sargent would somehow find out about the littering and give him a lecture. He didn't put it past her psychic relatives to have the ability to know about something so spectacularly mundane.

"Sure," K drawled, making the single syllable word long and dripping with lust. Ronan couldn't figure out how he did it, but was determined to learn the trick himself. "But you're way more of an Anakin than a Luke."  
  
Ronan whipped his head away from the can to glare at Kavinsky.

"Fuck you, I'm Han, obviously."

"Nah, you're Anakin. It suits you, you're both whiny bitches. And, y'know, Anakin was totally getting fucked by Obi-Wan, and _you_ were the one who brought up him."

Ronan barked out a disbelieving laugh and fliped K off. It didn't do much beyond drawing a nasty grin from the other boy, but somehow, Ronan takes it as a victory. But it was a hollow victory, he knew. He thought, then, of Pyrrhus, and Plutarch, and _'Another such victory, and I am undone.'_.

Undone. What his undoing would would mean, death or loss or freedom or something altogether more frightening, he didn't know, and, because he was honest, he could admit he didn't think he cared.

He blinked, at K was right in front of his face, the suddenness of his appearance startled him and he stumbled back before he could stop himself.

"You think too much, princess," Kavinsky cooed, not bothering to hide his glee at Ronan's reaction.

"Fuck you!" Ronan growled, swiping K's hand away from where he was trying to pat Ronan's shaved head.

Kavinsky sighed, "That response is starting to get old."

Ronan was tired suddenly. Of Kavinsky. Of the barbs they spewed at each other. Of trying and dreaming a solution to Gansey's problem. Of Adam's hollow look. Of Noah's trembling in and out of corporeality. Of Declan, always of Declan. 

Mostly, he was tired of himself.

Kavinsky leaned in again, invading his personal space, and this time Ronan didn't flinch away or push him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol the world sure is in chaos huh? Kavinsky would probably approve, the little bastard.  
> Guys I feel like this ended too similarly to a fic from my hours series but its late and I am a talent-less hack who doesn't even care.


	5. for truth hath better deeds than words to grace it (Bronan brotp)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue and Ronan keep meeting in the hallway. Somehow, a friendship forms.
> 
> Background pynch and blusey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For dylangasmsforusall on tumblr, who, to my great joy, prompted some Bronan 👍  
> I hope you enjoy!!

Ronan was still tugging his shirt over his head when he stumbled through the door to his morning class. He was actually bothering to go because Gansey had promised him an entire cheesecake if he did. And cheesecake made him weak.

Across the hall, he spotted a tiny woman softly closing the door behind her. Adam Parrish’s door. She shot him a small glare and then winced. Ronan could smell the tequila radiated off her.

He jerked his chin up in greeting. “Walk of shame?” He grunted.

He hoped it wasn’t true, though the disheveled clothes argued against his hope. Ronan had just acknowledged the truth of his growing crush on the man who lived in the apartment across from him and Gansey, and now he was going to have to squash it. Ruthlessly.

Pretty boys were worse than cheesecake.

The girl grimaced so theatrically that Ronan was instantly offended on behalf of Parrish.

“Oh god,” she hissed, running a hand down her face like she was trying to wipe her brain of that image. “No, nope, nah.”

With that, she stomped down the hallway, muttering to herself and shaking her head the whole way.

* * *

“Walk of shame?”

Ronan turned to find the small woman from last week once again leaving Adam’s apartment. Though her clothes were different, they gave off the same distinct disheveled look. This time she smelled, mysteriously, like bleach.

“I’m coming home?” Ronan said, holding up his keys. Not the keys to the apartment, unfortunately. But he didn’t feel like telling her he was locked out and waiting on Gansey to come home to let him in.

“You went out dressed like that?” She said, trailing her gaze from his cowboy boots, to his Teenage Mutant Ninja pajama pants, to his Celtic Woman concert shirt.

“Yes.”   
  
Technically, it wasn’t a lie. ‘Went out’ implied he had left his apartment. Which he had. It didn’t matter that he had only rushed down to the street to grab his bird feed from his car, that he had only intended to be out of the apartment for a few seconds.   
  
The girl smiled broadly. “I can admire your spirit,” she said, thrusting out her hand. “Blue Sargent.”

“Ronan Lynch.”

“How long have you been locked out?”

Roman sighed. “An hour.”

“Roommate?”

“Gone to classes.”

Blue huffed out a laugh, spun on her heel, and started pounding on Adam’s door.

“Blue?” Adam said when he opened the door, surprise lacing his words. He took a double take of Ronan, blinking at him as his eyes followed the same path as Blue’s had. “Ronan?”

“I’m locked out,” Ronan sighed, resigning himself to Adam seeing him at his worst.

A small furrow appeared between Adam’s brow. Ronan wanted to smooth it out the same way Gansey sometimes smoothed out his. Gently. Softly.

“Well you can’t wait out here in the hallway,” Adam huffed. He opened his door wider, revealing the inside of his own apartment, a space heretofore a mystery to Ronan. “I’ll call Gansey, you can wait in mine.” 

With that, he retreated back inside. Ronan made to follow him, but Blue caught his arm. She smiled up at him and winked. “Do it.”

Ronan wasn’t 100% sure what she meant. But he took a deep breath, to both calm himself and also to fortify his courage, and followed Adam into his apartment.

* * *

The next time he saw Blue was several weeks later. This time, she was the one sitting on the floor of the hallway. Ronan took one look at her propped against Adam’s door, her short legs crossed, her chin resting on her fist, and smirked.

“Shut up,” Blue hissed. She freed one finger from the fist to flip Ronan off.

Ronan shrugged his shoulders and waltzed into his apartment, slamming the door shut behind him. A few moments later, he cracked open the door with the chain lock on to prevent it from opening any more, to find Blue still sitting there, though instead of annoyed, she looked down right pissed. Good.

“Maggot,” Ronan cooed, suffusing as much sappiness as he could into his voice. “You get locked out?”

“Kicked out,” Blue fumed. “Of my own damn apartment. All because my roommate decided to bring his boyfriend back and be _loud.”_

Ronan couldn’t help but be jealous of Blue’s roommate. Even if he had to live with the tiny she-devil, at least he was getting laid.

“Cry me a fucking river,” Ronan scoffed, but he also opened the door. 

Blue raised her brow skeptically. “Are you letting me in to murder me?”

“My roommate probably wouldn’t be too pleased if I did,” Ronan shrugged. “I’m just returning the favor from last time. Besides, my momma raised me to be polite and shit.”

Gansey was coming out of the bathroom just as Blue entered the door, and he flushed at the sight of her. Or maybe he flushed because he walked out the bathroom in just his boxers. Knowing Gansey, it was probably a bit of both. Ronan cackled at the squawking noise Gansey made as he ran to the safety as his room.

“Who’s that?” Blue demanded, snorting while she laughed. But, he noticed, her cheeks were visibly darker.

* * *

Ronan stifled a yawn as he quietly left Adam’s apartment, a little sore, a little tired, a lot happy.

He looked up at the sound of a loud yawn. Blue was walking out of his and Gansey’s apartment, wearing one of his roommates awful polo’s. The one that closely matched a flaming hot Cheeto in color, which Blue herself had mocked Gansey about for at least half an hour last week.

“Morning,” Ronan mumbled, jerking his head up in greeting.

Blue copied his greeting, said, “Showering?”

“Adam only has that weird fucking orange blossom shit.”

“Hey,” Blue said, swatting his arm as soon as she was within range to do so. “I like that orange blossom shit.”

“Will Gansey be dressed if I go in there?” A few days ago he had gone into his apartment to find Gansey and Blue still saying their goodbyes. Of course, ‘saying their goodbyes’ was code for ‘half naked and full on making out in the foyer’.

“Mm,” Blue mumbled. “I guess? I left him in his room. Adam?”

Ronan bit back a cringe. A few weeks ago, Blue had walked in on him and Adam in a very similar compromising position.

“Room,” Ronan grunted.

With that, they did nodded at each other again, and finally retreated into the opposite apartments that they had come from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue smelled like bleach because she and Adam were trying out bleach tie-dye 🙂  
> Thanks for reading 💙💜💗


	6. Jewel of their souls (pynch)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam and Ronan watch Artemis Fowl, Adam is offended, and Ronan doesn’t know whether to find his boyfriends crush of Colin Farrell flattering or frightening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For an anon on tumblr 💙  
> Title is taken from Othello  
> Set at some point during Adams time at Harvard.

“This is a complete bastardization.”

Ronan glanced at his boyfriend, a little surprised at the words, and found him scowling at the tv. 

Personally, he thought _Artemis Fowl_ was fine, for a kids movie. Adam has demanded they watch it, had been talking about it for months before the release. The book series had, apparently, been the catalyst for Adam’s fondness for reading and he was thrilled to be able to see such an important part of his life brought into film.

Apparently, it wasn’t living up to the expectation.

The girl, Holly, appeared again and Adam scoffed. “They just- they completely screwed up everything about her character!”

“It’s not bad,” Ronan said quietly. Truth be told, he was kind of excited to find out where the movie was going, and if Artemis was going to find his dad. He loved his boyfriend, really, but he could have done without the constant commentary from him, nitpicking every little thing about it.

Adam tore his gaze from the screen to level a disbelieving look at him. “The only thing ‘not bad’ about this piece of trash,” Adam stated, his voice tinged with venom. Ronan knew it was directed at the movie, but it still made him nervous. That or turned on. It was hard to tell, sometimes. “Is all the shots of Colin Farrell.”

“Oh my god,” Ronan groaned, “Please quit it with your weird older man thing.”

“I don’t have an older man thing,” Adam quickly insisted, but as soon as the words left his mouth, the actor appeared back on screen and Adam’s gaze drifted to him, like a moth to a flame. Ronan paused the movie, using every bit of strength he had to not laugh at Adam’s offended huffing at the motion.

“Adam, you have a thing.”

Adam pulled his feet up into the couch, twisting until he was facing Ronan and he could slide his feet under his thigh.

“Look,” he sighed, refusing to meet Ronan’s eyes, “Do I find Colin Farrell hot? Yes, obviously. Is his accent sexy? Of course. Can he absolutely pl-“

“You think his accent is sexy?” Ronan said, wiggling his brows and putting on his thickest Irish accent. It was fairly easy, he had grown up with the voices of his fathers motherland, after all, and imitating them was natural.

He had done it to make Adam smile, maybe to make him laugh. Instead, a strange look crossed over his boyfriends face, and he went still.

“Ah, c’mon, mo stór - just admit it that you’ve got more than a wee bit of an older man thing,” Ronan said, finally letting himself laugh.

Adam was still silent, though now his head was cocked a bit, and he was looking at Ronan at he was seeing something he hadn’t before.

“Yeah,” Adam finally said, though it sounded like he was talking to himself. He leaned forward in a smooth motion and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. It only lasted a moment before Adam was leaning back and settling against the arm rest of the sofa.

“I love you,” Ronan said, his immediate reaction was always to say those words when Adam kissed him so soft.

A slow smile spread over Adam’s face. “I love you, too,” He said, before adding, “And in fifteen years you’re gonna be really hot. Well. Even hotter. Because you are hot, y’know, already.”

“Lucky you,” he drawled.

“Lucky me,” Adam agreed, leaning back in. This kiss was harder, and Ronan melted into it.

Artemis Fowl may not have been what Adam wanted it to be, but Ronan had learned that, along with his older man thing, and his teacher thing, and his control thing, Ronan could add another thing to his growing list of Adam’s _things._

Adam has an Irish accent thing. Ronan decided, as Adam pressed him into the couch cushions and licked into his mouth, that that was a thing he had every intention of using.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was anyone... actually happy with Artemis Fowl 🤔  
> Mo stór - my dear


	7. this is very midsummer madness (Ronan & Noah)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ronan and Noah, just a couple of dudes being guys. Or, two boys just being boys. And causing a minor amount of mayhem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For dylangasmsforusall on tumblr - I hope you enjoy, even tho it’s super short and super late ;)  
> Title from Twelfth Night

There was something beautifully chaotic about the sound of glass shattering during the humid heat of summer, the way it so perfectly joined the constant _click-click-buzz_ of the cicadas. It was a kind of music, but more like an unskilled hand grating a bow against the strings of a violin then anything beautiful or good.

Ronan, who had found solace in the harshness of EDM, perversely found the combination of shattered glass and cicadas much better than any conventional music. It’s ugliness was beautiful, as far as he was concerned.

“I bet you can’t hit that patch of weeds,” Noah said, pointing to a group of sad looking dandelions. It wasn’t far away, only a dozen feet or so from where they were dropping the light bulbs from the old box of them that Ronan found. He had hauled them from the first floor to his room on the second floor, Noah joining him before he got to his window.

Ronan tossed his next light bulb in the direction of the weeds, but missed it by several feet. He shoved Noah when he started cackling.

“You try it then,” Ronan growled, annoyed.

Noah made a show of carefully selecting his next light bulb, picking one up, inspecting if, choosing a different one, weighing them each in his hands. Finally, he found one he was satisfied with and aimed with one eye closed, his tongue between his teeth.

“Oh, fuck you!” Ronan shouted when the bulb smashed perfectly on top of the weeds.

From there, they took turns playing a mangled game of HORSE, each of them pointing out increasing ridiculous places in the parking lot to throw their bulbs at.

Ronan was at HORS and Noah was still at HO when Gansey tapped at the door frame of the open door.

“Gentlemen, might you tone it-“ he cut himself off and looked from Ronan, to the now mostly empty box of light bulbs, to Noah, to back at the bulbs. When he continued, his voice was noticeably strained. “Is that the new box of bulbs I had to have specially ordered for the first floor lights?”

Ronan shrugged, said “No?”

“It was Ronan’s idea!” Noah shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him, the little traitor.

“Right,” Gansey sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re paying for the next box. Also, you’ll both sweep up the broken glass in the morning.”

With that, Gansey turned and stalked out of the room, shaking his head and muttering.

“There’s still six left,” Noah said once Gansey was gone. “I bet you’ll get your E on the next shot.”

You’re on loser,” Ronan laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	8. we are such stuff as dreams are made on (pynch)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Ronan can't help but gush about his boyfriend. Because, honestly, he's just great. And awesome. And handsome. And cool. And smart. And...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For sokkalogic on tumblr - Thank you so much for this prompt!
> 
> Title from The Tempest

Ronan hated his phone. Really, he did. It was awful, and impersonal, and made lying so easy, and was just bad.

But, he admitted to himself, with a boyfriend away at Harvard, and his friends halfway across the country, and his brothers in D.C, his phone was _convenient_.

Take, for example, right now; he could text the photo of Adam sleeping curled up on the porch swing, his expression soft, the sun shining _just right_ to avoid his eyes but lighting up the slackness of his mouth and making his freckles stand out, and send it to Blue.

_Ronan to Blue_

- _this could of been yours but you were playin'_

It was easy, now, to joke about those few weeks when Adam and Blue had been a thing. Had tried to be a thing. It had hurt, in a confusing way, at the time. But now he and Blue would tease each other about Adam.

_Blue to Ronan_

\- _cute :)_

Ronan scowled at Blue's response. Cute. Cute? That was it? four letters and a half-assed emoji? He had expected more from her. Annoyed, he proceeded to forward the photo to Gansey. He didn't send a message along with it, since he never really felt like he needed words with Gansey. It took several minutes for him to respond, but at least it was better than Blue's.

_Gansey to Ronan_

\- _He looks so peaceful, which is what he deserves._

_\- Do his dark circles seem more pronounced than last weeks?_

_\- Remind him to wear sunscreen, also, remind him to remind you to wear sunscreen._

Ronan's scowl lessened at Gansey's messages, but it still wasn't quite what he was waiting for. He knew, of course, what he was going to do. It was a sort of last resort, but it would be worth it. He sent the image to Cheng, whose response was immediate.

_Henry to Ronan_

- _!!!_

_\- Foxy_

_\- ԅ(¯﹃¯ԅ)_

_\- do my eyes deceive me or is that book over his chest Camus???_

Ronan never thought he would say it, but thank God for Henry Cheng. He spent the next 30 minutes furiously texting back and forth with him, gushing about Adam, about his new interest in French philosophy, about the way his freckles contrasted with his cheekbones, about the joke that had Ronan wheezing at breakfast.

In the days that followed, Adam noticed his increased usage of his phone. He was Adam, he noticed everything. But, thankfully, he deigned to show mercy on him by not bringing it up.   
  
For that, Ronan was more than grateful, because Henry Chen became his outlet, in a way. Ronan had always had problems with keeping his emotions from erupting from every pore - his anger was never hidden, his sadness never covered, his joy never shrouded. When Ronan felt things, he _felt_ them. To do anything else was a lie, the very worse kind of lie. So he needed an outlet for all of his Adam-centric emotions - an outlet that Henry seemed all too ready to provide for him.  
  
If anything, Henry seemed pleased at the frequent texts, always goading him on to tell him more, to brag about Adam more, to _gush_ about him more.   
  
So Ronan sent pictures; Adam in his leather jacket, Adam laughing at some stand-up special, Adam surrounded by a pile of textbooks, Adam leaning against a fence and staring off into the distance. 

He sent texts as well; about the clever thing Adam said, or the way he figured out what was wrong with the hall light, or about how he had become obsessed with making banana bread.

By the time Adam’s break was over and he was about to leave again for Harvard, Ronan Lynch finally admitted to himself that Henry Chang was his friend. More surprising was that the realization didn’t even come with dread or horror, but with a kind of quiet relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> I've done it before, but I really dont know how to incorporate texts into fic and overall I’m not really satisfied with what I wrote (。_。)  
> Curse you writers block!!!


	9. but thy eternal summer shall not fade (Adansey)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gansey watches Adam, that first summer when the three of them are all still so new to each other. He watches him, and, somewhere along the way, falls in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is super late, but was written for the anon on tumblr, who requested Adam being Gansey's bi awakening, something that seemed so fun to write! (also because I can't write sad stuff for shit, sorry!)  
> Also, this is super late, I am so so sorry :(  
> Title from Sonnet 18 :)

Gansey didn’t at all think that the way he seemed to always watch Adam, the way he sought desperately for Adam’s approval, the way he worried about Adam, the way he always wanted to know Adam’s thoughts and feelings and ideas about anything and everything was odd.

Adam was his friend, his still very new friend, who he was still trying to learn. Of course he would look to Adam to gauge his reactions to things, of course he would want Adam to laugh at something he said, of course he would value his opinion.

Those were all things that friends did.

That friends want to do.

But it did make him curious. Made him wonder.

He wondered if friends traced the lines of shoulders pulled straight in class, of forearms flexing as he cranked a wrench to remove a stubbornly tight bolt.

He wondered if friends felt a fire in their stomach at a laugh, at a smile, at a question that was asked just when Gansey wanted it asked.

Gansey had had very few friends before Adam, just Ronan and Malory. But, even with that limited pool of knowledge, of experience, he knew that Adam was different. He just didn't know _why_ Adam was different.

What was it about the freckles that appeared on Adam's nose when summer began that made what Gansey felt different?

What was it about Adam's voice that made Gansey want to drown in it?

What was it about the smooth and confident way Adam fixed the Pig that made Gansey feel at home?

Gansey wondered and wondered and wondered, but it was the end of summer, months after they became friends, months after the Pig had broken down and Adam had stopped and asked if he needed help, that Gansey finally got his answer.

Gansey looked up at something Adam said, an answer poised on the tip of his tongue, when he suddenly stopped. The light filtering through the trees overhead cast Adam in a strange mix of light and shadow. He was standing a dozen feet ahead, greenery surrounding him on all sides. He was wearing cargo shorts and a faded t-shirt with the logo of one of his jobs.

Gansey stopped, because he finally knew, finally understood what made this friendship so different.

Gansey wanted to kiss Adam.

He wanted Adam to kiss him.

Gansey was in love with Adam Parrish.

The realization should have surprised him, or shocked him, or confused him. It didn't. He only felt something settle into place, a weight shifted to something comfortable.

"Gansey?" Adam said, tentative, and right, yes, Adam had said something and was waiting for a response. Gansey shook his head and smiled.

"We should keep going a little further," Gansey said.

"Onward and upward?" Adam asked, and Gansey felt his smile grow.

"Excelsior."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Adansey so much.


End file.
